Early Origins of the Feaghant family

The surname Feaghant was first found in County Tyrone (Irish:Tír Eoghain), the ancient territory of the O'Neills, now in the Province of Ulster, central Northern Ireland, where they settled in early times.

Early History of the Feaghant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Feaghant research.Another 299 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1423, 1663, 1638 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Feaghant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Feaghant Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided the early scribes and church officials in recording names. This process of estimation often produced to the misleading result of one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Feaghant are preserved in documents of the family history. The various spellings of that name included Fagan, Faggan, Fagin, Feagan, Fegan, Feighan, Fieghan and many more.

Early Notables of the Feaghant family (pre 1700)

Another 19 words (1 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Feaghant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Feaghant family to the New World and Oceana

During the late 18th and 19th centuries hundreds, of thousands of Irish left their homeland for North American shores. The earlier settlers left for the promise of free land or to participate in the development of what was seen as a new land. This pattern of immigration continued for many years, growing at a slow but steady pace. The 1840s, however, forever disrupted this pattern. In that decade, Ireland experienced an unprecedented plague of disease, starvation, and death, all of which were produced by the failure of the island's potato crop. That decade alone the numbers of people leaving the island rivaled all of the previous years of Irish immigration combined. When these large immigrants hit North American shores they unfortunately encountered more discrimination from the established population. They were, however, very warmly received by industrialists and those with a passion for nation building. The former saw the Irish as a cheap source of labor required for the extraction of coal and lumber, and the manufacture of products, the latter regarded them as a means to occupy the west and to construct the essential bridges, railways, canals, and roadways required by an industrialized nation. Whenever and however the Irish arrived in North America, they were instrumental to the development of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Irish name of Feaghant: Alexander, Ambrose, Arthur, Catherine, Charles, Daniel, Edward, Henry, Hugh, James, John, Mary, Michael, Patrick, Thomas Fagan, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865.

The Feaghant Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.